Ever Numb
by AngelFire Rei
Summary: She had to be numb to it all, right front the start that’s what he’d told her. She played her role well, until, she was numb. Itachi X OC
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is the prequel to my OC fic Ever Tense. I felt i needed to do more with the story, but I couldn't continue, so i went back. Enjoy.

**Ever Numb~ AngelFire Rei**

Prologue:

She had to be numb to it all, right front the start that's what he'd told her. And so, because she _couldn't _be numb to it all, she put up an act and she played her role well, until, it wasn't just an act anymore, until the numbness was all that was left, until, she _was_ numb.

* * *

If you'd told Rei, that at the end of this mission, her life would shatter and she wouldn't be able to put it back together, she wouldn't have listened, she wouldn't have believed. If someone told her that when she was finished with this assignment she wouldn't feel anything but numbness she would have run then. If Itachi had warned her, she would have left before the heart break.

No one told her.

Rei packed the sack on her bed, three days worth of clothes, plus the outfit she was donning now. A romance novel by an author not widely known, but none-the-less her favorite, was sticking out on the top. Rei had instantly fallen in love with the main characters of the novel, Natuski, a young maiden and Kyouya, her love. She'd read the book half a dozen times, and for being only a few months old, it looked like it was fairly well worn, with all the dog-eared pages and creases of favorite paragraphs and scenes.

She tossed in a few other necessities, hair brush and ties, guards and extra kunai along with shuriken and explosive tags.

A loud hard rap on the heavy door came resounding back to her ears, "Come on, Kid." Kisame's husky laugh boomed on the other side.

She did a quick once over of her room, checking to see if she'd left anything lying around that she needed or wanted. Seeing nothing she glanced through her bag with the same quickness, seeing everything to be accounted for. "Coming," she called out and swung the bag over one shoulder.

The heavy door of the complex clanged shut behind her and she stepped up beside Itachi and his partner, waiting for orders, trying to switch into the cold exterior he expected of her.

Her heart beat fast in her chest and she couldn't seem to find her usual calm. Something felt off, though as to what she couldn't guess, her instinct just told her.

"Kisame, go on ahead about a mile, we'll meet you there. Check the area. We don't need any disruptions." Itachi had caught her unease.

"Sure," His gravely tone cut through the tension once, before the shark man departed, taking to the tree branches to reach his goal faster.

The tall Uchiha glanced back at Rei as she stared on after Kisame, still fighting to find the façade' of numbness she was getting used to wearing.

"Numb. Rei, be numb to it." Itachi's little chant never ceased to send chills up and down her, and then solemnly bring the feigning indifference onto her features.

"I'm set, Itachi," She looked at him with slightly dulled crimson eyes, and his sharingan flashed back at her once before they took off together, following the Hoshigaki into the woods.

* * *

Itachi wouldn't fully disclose the assignment to her, which was irritating in the least, and at most infuriating. She tried to stay indifferent but when she got to lying down with her thoughts in the nights, her emotions would catch her unprepared and off guard.

She felt the gentle and cool breeze as Itachi let himself inside her small tent. "You're not getting any sleep." He stated.

"You're not telling me something," She accused with a knowing hint in her voice.

"It's better that you do not know." His crimson pinwheel eyes faded into a coal black shade that perplexed and captivated her soul, she lost herself in them for a moment.

She caught herself after a minute of soul searching in soulless eyes. "Is that _your_ idea or Pein-sama's?"

"The leader would rather you be…uninformed, at the moment."

"Am I subject to the suspicions of mutiny?" Rei asked, being a bit cocky, showing off her vocabulary a bit more than was entirely called for.

Itachi avoided her eyes, which struck her as odd, if she hadn't been so tired, she'd have questioned it further. Instead she just asked the next thing to dance across her thoughts. "What would you rather? Do you want me to know?"

"Rei," He settled down next to her slipping off his Akatsuki cloak before turning to face her, and leaning over, bracing himself with a hand on either side of her body. "You ask too many questions." He smiled his devilish grin, the one that only she ever saw, only at night, when they were alone, like this.

Had she been really awake, and not half dosed, as it were, she might have caught that he avoided her question again, and not only did he avoid it, he was going out of his way to hush her.

She felt him grab for the zipper on her sleeping bag, and listened as he yanked it down, and slipped a cool hand into the now open heated sanctuary.

Rei shivered lightly when his fingers grazed the bare skin of her stomach, where he'd hiked up her shirt, revealing nearly the whole of her abdomen. He left kisses along her neck as he continued to run his fingers across her warm body.

"Itachi!" She squealed when he nipped at her neck a little more roughly than she was used to.

He smirked that Uchiha smirk into her skin, and mouthed what she guessed to be "mine" onto her shoulder.

He kept up a steady pattern of kisses and touches, causing, each time, a new swarm of butterflies in her stomach.

Regrettably, her eyes fell heavy, and sleep threatened menacingly to take her away from his touches and that angered her, because she didn't want to miss a second. In the end the blissful feeling sent her off to the dreamland with a sweet caress.

* * *

Itachi watched her as her eyes finally fluttered shut and did not open again. Her breathing was even, and she looked peaceful, he watched her slightly rosy cheeks and let his eyes wander down to watch her creamy colored stomach rise and fall.

Knowing she'd soon be cold if he left her like that, Itachi pulled her shirt back down and re-zipped the sleeping bag, first pulling up the blanket she had stuffed in with her up around her bare shoulders. Tank-tops were probably not the greatest idea of sleeping garments at this time of year, but she insisted.

The Akatsuki kissed her forehead, before straightening back to his knees.

"Nnn…tachi…" She mumbled in her sleep voice, which he'd grown quiet accustomed to hearing.

It made him smirk secretly.

He stepped out of her tent into the bitter night air, fully clad in his cloak again. Kisame sat drinking by a medium sized blaze. The fire licked at some meat, which was stuck through with a sharpened stick. Itachi fleetingly guessed his partner had thrown a kunai at some helpless creature or other for his dinner.

"Hungry, Itachi?" Kisame garbled.

"No."

Itachi sat on one of the stumps not too far from the flame; he could still feel the heat it gave off. Shifting his legs so that one ankle crossed the other he leaned back, using the convenient tree behind the stump as a back rest. His coal black eyes shifted back to the crimson sharingan. He lost himself in thought, but acted as though he were still watching the surrounding area.

"What do you think, Itachi?" Kisame asked finally, when the silence became too uncomfortable.

"She is not a bargaining piece."

"That sure as hell is not true in Leader's mind." Kisame laughed half-heartedly as he grabbed up one of the skewers and bit off a hunk of the meat. "What—" Kisame stopped short when Itachi seemed to stop listening to him and seemingly switched to listening in the direction of Rei's tent.

"Hn," Itachi glanced back at Rei's tent, watching for a minute, listening.

"She awake?" Kisame inquired in a hushed tone, very much unlike him.

Itachi closed his eyes and listened. Both knew how well Rei could eavesdrop and had both gotten used to conversations ending abruptly when she got caught in the act. "It doesn't appear that she is." He concluded.

"Anyway…" Kisame reiterated, "What are you gonna do, she could die." The ex-mist nin didn't seem to care either way what the Uchiha did, but only was trying to see what his plans might be.

Itachi sat straight up. "_Kisame_." He didn't even bother to hide the flash of anger that entered his eyes.

"Sorry," The shark man caught himself for a second, "…didn't mean to be so blunt about it…but you know—"

"You should quit while you're ahead." Itachi hissed, reclining back once more.

* * *

Rei woke up to the sound of camp being packed away. She stretched out, finding that her legs were entangled in a web of thin purple blanket. The bag fell away from her body after she'd unzipped it, and she unwove the blanket from her slender legs.

The coldness somehow came naturally to her that morning, she felt bitter, so obviously she wasn't numb, but she was indifferent, for the most part. That would do.

The spots where Itachi and Kisame had pitched their tents were now empty. So she began to take hers down as well, a swift process which she was done with in about a minute.

It wasn't hard to notice when Kisame kept stealing uncertain glances at her, but she tried to write it off. Tried to tell herself she was imagining more into something than need be.

Leaving was silent, no one spoke, and they just fell into the normal pattern they took on when they walked long distances. Kisame ended up way in the front of them, and Rei hung back just behind Itachi, sometimes, she would sneak up next to him, and sometimes he allowed it.

She didn't now though. She felt drawn back, like she really was hanging back, so far back she might fall off, and plunge endlessly downward.

But she didn't fall eternally; she kept pace, placing one foot in front of the other mechanically.

The day continued, as did the long silence. If they stopped for a break, the eerie quiet would shift to small conversations that would end as soon as they took to the road again.

They were relatively unnoticed by people passing by them, on occasion, when they walked public roads such as the ones of this route, they would be met with ninja that knew who they were, and knew that the two men were in the Bingo Book. That didn't happen today, and Rei was grateful, for if there must be silence, she'd rather it be undisturbed.

At one or two different points she felt unjustifiable fear rise in her throat, and she wanted to ask Itachi about it, to see if there really was reason to feel this way, but she knew he'd only tell her the same old thing. _Numb._

Finally, after taking a detour into the woods they stopped at a rusting old abbey, buried into the greenery about it. The east facing wall appeared to be completely moss coated, and for some reason Rei felt utterly sick at the idea of going in this place. And that fearful feeling from earlier crept back into her core.

* * *

The brute-ish man tossed her into the cell like a rag doll, like he was kicking a pebble out of the way, he drove his foot into her side, causing her to side—scraping–across the cold stone floor. Itachi stood out in the hall, watching—eyes blazing crimson.

"Why!?" She demanded, struggling to look up and ignore the aching in her side and glared into his eyes, hers blazing back. _I thought you loved me!

* * *

  
_

They'd woken up that morning, like normal, they had packed up their camp just as the sun was peeking over the morning blue canvas of sky. Not much was said, but that was typical. She stayed a pace or two behind Itachi, when she walked with him. At one point, after they'd stopped for a rest, hiding from the mid day sun in the comfort of a small tea shop, everything seemed normal yet, if not a little tense. Pointless chatter passed about them as their own casual conversations joined the hum. Kisame laughed his gravely laugh when she'd once again refused to drink with him. Sake didn't usually sit well with her, and so she stuck to her green tea.

It seemed like all the normalcy from that morning dissipated when they left the tea house. Itachi cast an odd sidelong glance her way that made the hair on her neck stand and her skin crawl.

Something was wrong.

She knew it then, that something was up, that she was out of the loop and in a bad way, no less. Yet she couldn't pinpoint as to why.

She replayed the last few hours, looking for anything she may have missed, finding nothing. All the while her mind had raced, until they reached the old looking abbey. The fear rose, and peaked, then broke like a fresh wave on the shore, leaving her…numb.

Then there wasn't much feeling or thought left.

As soon as the three of them entered they had been flanked by three shinobi of undetermined country or status, for none wore a head band. She instinctively slunk closer to Itachi, slipping her hand in his, squeezing it slightly for reassurance that never came. He never returned the gesture, never made notice that she'd even placed her tiny hand in his.

The fear rose with a vengeance then. But it was too late; they'd entered the hall with the five cells, the one at the very end empty, and open.

Then came the fierce tug on her arm and the sickening whipping motion.

The door slammed shut now, and she flung herself at it, grasping her hands around the bars in the window, leering out at her captors and betrayers.

**End Chapter One:**

**

* * *

**A/N: So...This is chapter one of Ever Numb. Tell me what you think, give it a chance, even though its an OC story~ R&R please!

AngelFire Rei~


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for reading and your reviews. It means a lot. Also thanks for giving an OC story a shot. This is Ever Numb, chapter two of the Ever Tense prequel. Be sure to check out Ever Tense~Enjoy!

**Chapter Two: **

"Thank you kindly for your donation, Akatsuki." The three men turned to leave as the brute that locked her in the cell spoke, turned, and followed them out.

Kisame grunted in response, Itachi locked eyes with her, seemingly ignoring the man that'd put her in the cell. She raged inside as she watched his eyes, her heart and soul a torrent of emotions, all coming to the surface.

_"Be numb."_ His words rang in her mind, and she couldn't hold it anymore, she screamed at the top of her lungs, in anger, in fear, in hate, she cried out her raw fury.

"You knew! From the beginning, you knew…what this was! Didn't you!?" Rei shrieked from behind her cell door, fingers curled around the iron bars in the huge oak door's window so tight that the knuckles ran white as bone.

"Yes," Itachi offered her that much in the least, and a sickeningly blood-shot Mangekyou Sharingan gaze at most.

"…why…?"

"You're a liability; we can no longer afford to have you around." He turned in the bright candle lit hall and began to leave, walking coldly away from her.

"So…You _sold_ me!?" Rei easily guessed at what the place was, seeing only female captives in every cell they'd passed, and she guessed that this cell block was where they put kunoichi they'd bought, or…caught.

"Itachi! ...Did you honestly…never care about me?" She cried out, feeling the full force of the pain in her heart.

He turned just a bit, enough to catch just a glimpse of his eyes, "I may have once, but that time has passed."

"No, _no_, _NO_!" She wailed as she let her grip of the bars falter and let herself fall to the ground. "ITACHI!" She pounded her shaking fist into the thick wood.

* * *

"_You were supposed to be asleep when we left you, forgive me Rei." _Itachi had grinned darkly when her eyes flickered open.

_"What went wrong?" _She continued to play the nightmare-ish exchange in her mind. Recalling how she viciously snapped at him.

_"Plans change." _That was all he said. And then, he'd walked away from her, like a used tissue…she was disposable.

"_Damn it, damn it, damn it," She cursed in a chant, "Damn you!" She hissed out viciously at the screech of the metal hinges on the steel door as it opened and Itachi left her behind._

Her heart was tearing out of her chest, "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" She couldn't stop repeating the chant, it wasn't really calming, but it kept her from trying to punch down the thick metal re-enforced cage door.

"Hey, Hun?" An older woman's voice called out from one of the other cells. The gentle tone laced with a worried undertone, brought her back to reality.

She sat up, feeling the pain in her back now, after lying for too long on the stone floor.

Rei waited, for a second, thinking perhaps the woman wasn't speaking to her, but to one of the other shinobi girls that were locked up.

"Yo, Fifth Cell!" A younger higher pitched voice resounded along the walls.

Rei struggled for her voice. "Y-yes?" She rose stiffly, and walked over to the window to peer out. The other four cells were on the right and left walls, hers on the back, and the door in the front. Now, two faces looked out from the cells nearest hers.

"Are you alright, Hun?" The older kunoichi's voice came again. Her face was pale, and she had very long looking dark hair, possibly brown, but in the dark of the cell it was hard to distinguish.

"Yeah, I think so…" Rei looked down, her face dull.

"Were those guys that brought you here really Akatsuki?" The other girl spoke up. She looked only a little older than Rei was, possibly nineteen, if the Ishida made a guess at it. Her hair was certainly black, and it was tugged up into two spiky, short tufts in the front, while in the back it was a shoulder length black curtain, and her bangs hung nearly in her green eyes.

She gritted her teeth, and clenched her fists into tight balls, her nails nipping at her soft skin.

"They were."

"How'd you end up with people like them," Asked the elder kunoichi.

"Sorry, it's a long…painful story; I'd rather not talk about it."

Rei saw the woman nod, and watched the other girl for a moment. "That was Uchiha Itachi…" She grinned.

"You're not his type!" Rei growled out.

The kunoichi's green eyes flared at her. "And you are? Is that why he put you in _here_?"

Rei turned, pressing her back to the door, "I used to be…" She slid down to the floor, hanging her head, crying silently, stifling the sobs with her hands cupped over her mouth.

* * *

Rei sat in the back of her cell, her body had gone numb a while back, but her mind was still the constant tidal wave of thoughts, battering her mental shores. She wasn't sure, but it seemed as though her energy was being drained. Rei thought maybe there was something in the cell or the hall that was stealing away hers and the others' chakra. The door itself was fitted against a shinobi's attacks and tricks; a barrier was laced lovingly around it.

"Come on, Hun…" The woman—Nanako of Cloud Country, called out to her for a sixth or seventh time.

"Give it a rest Nako-san" A voice from farther down called. "The poor child has been through a lot it seems."

"Alright, Misano. I just would like to know if she's alright." Rei could imagine her taking a sidelong glance at her dark cell door, now that the candles had died down a great deal. The only light was a dark copper orange that didn't give off much glow to light the room, the cells went black.

"She's just a baby." The green-eyed one chided from her cell, she must have been in the back of hers as well, judging from the sound of her voice.

"Don't mind Shiza, Hun, she's only angry…like the rest of us."

A loud "Humph!" came from Shiza's cell.

"Really I'm fine," Rei finally spoke up. "As…fine as I can be in here." She explained at the small worried gasp she heard. "I'd…just like to rest now…I'd like to sleep." She finished.

"Alright, then, I'll stop pestering you, Hun."

"It's alright," Rei looked up, smiling, even though no one could see it. "I know you're just being kind. And please…I'm Rei…call me Rei."

"Of course, Rei-chan, get some sleep."

Rei soundlessly flopped to her side, her hair curtaining her bare arms. The only time she'd ever regretted her choice in tank-tops over long sleeves and vests was at times like these, locked in a cold, stone cell.

She shivered herself into an unfeeling, uncaring, un-restful, sleep, in which she had no dreams, only a slight sense that related to being aware, but not awake.

* * *

It seemed that bright sun light was peeking in from somewhere but she realized when she opened her eyes that it was only the light of candles, candles that shown brighter than any she'd ever seen before. The light was merciless on her tired eyes.

No one spoke, nothing happened. Rei apathetically gazed at the wall, still lying on her side. Hours passed that way. She ignored the pain of hunger in her stomach and the dry feeling in her throat.

She could almost imagine the incessant ticking of a clock, though there wasn't one in the stone hall or cell. She tried to focus on the mental ticking, hoping to drag her mind away from thoughts of Itachi and all the "why's" and "what ifs" that came to her.

At one point a skinny, lanky man with shades came in and shoved a small plate of food in each cell. It looked more as if it were the scrapes of an already eaten meal, than a meal itself. Rei couldn't bring herself to move and get it, let alone actually eat it, if she had went to it.

She cringed away from it, feeling sick.

"You need to eat something Rei-chan." Nanako encouraged from her prison.

"I can't…I feel sick." Rei whined.

"You'll feel worse if you don't eat." Shiza grunted, with a full mouth by the sound of it.

Rei slunk over to the plate, there was a little bit of meat sitting there that looked like pork. She put a finger to it, finding that it was actually still warm; she plunked it in her mouth and chewed. It was a little more salty than her taste buds would have liked, but still, for prison food, it was rather good. She tore off another piece and ate it, and in that way she devoured the meat on the plate, leaving the slop that looked like mashed potatoes and gravy but could have just as easily been throw up.

* * *

"You were interested in a kunoichi, right Sir?" Two men entered the hall, a freezing breeze following them in like the shadow of death. Rei sat up, leaning against the back wall of her cell, barely keeping her head held up, let alone high.

"That's right." The blonde one said, peeking in to the first to cells, then moving to the last tree, looking in at Shiza and Nanako, then herself.

He pursed his lips, crooked a grin, and spun. "None of these are right." He said, seemingly displeased.

"I see, well Sir, we have ten more kunoichi in stock, would you like to take a look at them as well, perhaps there is someone to your liking."

"Yes, let's do that." Rei watched the salesman and his high-horse-riding client gallivant out of the room.

The one that was selling was dirty looking and short, but seemingly well fed, seeing as he was fat. The high horse guy was old and though he was well dressed, a fine silk kimono hanging about him, he was an ass.

Rei shrunk into a corner after the visitors departed. She fell asleep there that night, and didn't move until well into the next day, when they brought some more table scraps to her.

She greedily ate the meat, again leaving the slop, before slinking back once more to the far wall and pressing herself to it. She was shaking, no where near full, and she was tired and felling sick.

"How could you do this to me…?" Rei cursed under her breath.

Her body was cold and sore, her eyes swollen and red from tears that came and went like mood swings.

She pressed her back to the wall stretching before hunching over herself again. Her mind would race, and then suddenly go blank, exhausting her, but soon the blankness seemed to take a dominant place in the inner workings of her thoughts.

Rei didn't notice the day pass as she was lost in her oblivious state. The only thing that told her it was night was the soft croon that Nanako gave all the girls. Rei didn't reply.

At some point she fell asleep.

* * *

She woke up to the sound of riotous yelling and screaming. She cocked her head to the door, wondering if someone had made a run for it or something. Deciding she didn't care, she leaned her head back, going to try for more sleep, but in the still dark lit morning, she heard the most unlikely of sounds. Itachi's voice.

Sitting up she listened harder, but didn't hear anything in her direct hall. Rei struggled to get on her knees. She listened hard, catching again, what seemed like a familiar order coming smooth from his perfect lips.

Someone cried out "Akatsuki!" and Rei couldn't believe it, she froze for some time, listening to the yelling.

Footfalls echoed down the long hall outside her cell block, then stopped abruptly. Someone just outside grunted, and then there was a thump as a body hit the floor.

When he broke into her cell she was already on her feet tears in her eyes. She didn't have a second to think of hating him or of his betrayal, because in that next moment he was fiercely pressing his lips to hers, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Rei, I love you, I love you..." repeating quietly to himself the mantra, in between kissing her.

One strong hand twisted in her tangled hair, the other wrapped securely around her, pulling her into him. After freeing herself from her shock, at him, and at his near inaudible whispers, she brought her hands up to his chest, fisting the fabric. Testing, seeing if it was true as he continued to take her lips.

"Itachi…" She cried out, wrapping her arms around him when she concluded his arms around her were real, that the hand in her hair holding her face to his was real. "Damn…it…" She whined as she pressed her cold cheek to his warm one. "I love you…" She said the words impulsively.

He stopped suddenly, pulling away, looking her in the eyes, she could only stare back. "I'll explain everything." He whispered. Itachi never lied, never promised something he wouldn't act on. He would tell her.

Nodding was all she could manage in response.

Kisame stopped outside the open doorway, "Come on! Uchiha the place is nearly empty. Time to get outa here."

"We're leaving." Itachi concurred.

She nodded as he took her hand. As they ran past the other four cells Rei's heart nearly squeezed itself to the point of imploding, each of the other doors where flung open—one off the hinges—and were empty.

_Good._

She couldn't help but be happy that they'd gotten out; those were some good woman, Shiza too, even if she had attitude problems.

**End Chapter Two:

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it. Please review!

Next chapter should be up soon~

AngelFire Rei~


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Alright, here's chapter three, tell me wha'cha think^.~ Enjoy~

* * *

**Chapter Three:**

Rei couldn't get away from the place fast enough. But once they were outside, there was a small group of Akatsuki waiting for them, and how could they possibly just keep going with out stopping to talk to them?

Kisame had joined the little sewing circle with Deidara and Tobi and surprisingly Konan, oh, and she didn't look happy.

Rei clung to Itachi's side and he kept his arm casually draped over her shoulder as they walked up to the group. Without knowing she did it, Rei fisted the fabric of Itachi's cloak where she held it, when they stopped next to the others. Itachi casting a sidelong glance at the masked shinobi, as he usually did when sharing this kind of company.

"You've retrieved her." Konan stated flatly.

"Hn,"

Her eyes drifted up to Itachi's face, as always, she couldn't read it now, with the others around. If she'd looked back on it harder, she may have realized sooner that the times she was able to read him were growing few and far between at an alarming rate. But of course that didn't come to her mind, even with this little incident spread before her eyes; she didn't see the clear picture.

"We'll be going our own way now. This mission is complete." Itachi told the woman, and she looked like she'd just been verbally bashed. Maybe taking orders from someone like Itachi wasn't her thing, maybe only men like Pein were allowed to tell her when to jump.

She looked to the side, and nodded, before a flurry of paper butterflies scattered and flew straight past Itachi. Rei pressed her face into his side as the storm of paper receded behind them, he stood stone still. Not flinching even once.

Deidara looked at Tobi, and they nodded to each other. "See you around, hnn?" He grinned at the Uchiha-Hoshigaki team.

"We'll have to have another drink some time," Kisame rumbled. It was odd to see that pair acting so friendly toward each other; usually it was like hell with them in the same place.

"I missed something…" Rei whispered up to Itachi.

He gave her a soft crooked smile and said, "Kisame will have to explain that."

* * *

Finally they were far enough away from the disgusting building that Rei could stop looking over her shoulder. She'd asked Itachi almost immediately after the others left to explain himself, but he told her "Not here". She pursed her lips, before gnawing on the lower one and nodding.

It turned out that there was a small town near by, so close in fact, that had she known of its existence, she would have broken herself out somehow and escaped there.

But, of course, she hadn't known.

They found a decent Inn there and rented a room for the night. It was a cute little two bedroom. There was a small kitchen, which would go unused, and a decent sized living area.

Rei sat on her knees at the low table in the living area, a map in front of her face. She quickly located the little town they were in. "Hamamachi…" She whispered, laying the map down. It made her feel a little better knowing just where she was.

Itachi walked in, saw her there at the table and came over, sitting down on the other side. He took one of the cups of green tea that was on the saucer at the center of the table, and sipped at it slowly.

"So?" Rei eyed him, trying to allow him to go at his pace. But she was due an explanation, and the time for explaining was now.

"Hn?" Itachi looked up from under his long lashes, eyes still crimson.

Rei was a bit caught; she thought he'd have changed his eyes back, but just as that thought was skipping behind her eyes, his beautiful eyes shifted smoothly to jet black.

"What was that all about!?" She couldn't hide the hurt from her voice, though she would have liked to, it was just so overwhelmingly built up in her heart to keep it from over flowing.

"Rei, calm yourself." He set his cup down, and slouched forward as he slid his arms out of his cloak. "It was necessary that you believed we really sold you to them." He let the coat fall as he straighten himself to look her in the eyes. "You're angry." The genius stated.

"Damn right I am." She hissed. "What kind of bullshit answer is that?" Rei glared daggers across the table. "I could have acted…pretended I didn't know..." She cringed, wishing she hadn't cursed, but realizing it was too late to take back.

"What if they saw fit to interrogate you?" Itachi shot back with deadly coolness.

"I wouldn't have said a thing!" She banged her balled fist on the table top as she very nearly came out of her seat, already in the motions of rising to one knee. Tea splashed out of her cup—she'd almost knocked it clear over.

"You don't understand." He looked away, she noted how odd that was for him to do, and shrunk back to both her knees, waiting to hear what he had to say. "It's common for that group to interrogate kunoichi they come across, and then sell them. Their trade isn't only in women, but information." He glanced at her, trying to meet her eyes, as she tried to keep hers with his. "If they had tortured you…" She noticed his hand clench tightly on the table. "It wouldn't have been with regular means. They would have—"

"Itachi!" She saw him fighting to keep control, she got his point, yet she didn't want to interrupt him, but now, she saw how hard a time he was having, dealing with himself, it would seem. He looked up at her and she knew it wasn't him that decided she should be left in the dark. "Stop, stop it. I understand." She sounded frantic, and noticed how fast her heart was pulsing.

He watched her reaction, seeming to muse at it. Though it seemed he was already regaining the blank indifference he was so well known for, Rei couldn't help noticing his still balled fist.

If he were the type of man for saying 'thank you' he was pretty sure he would have said it just then. He was already hating himself for allowing them to sell her. Having to explain…was nearly too much.

After that a long awkward silence fell between them. She could see him fuming just under the surface of the cool façade' he put up. It wasn't difficult to guess that Pein had probably been behind the original plan. He would never break it, so she had to, she had more questions yet. "So…What was the real purpose behind it all?"

"Information in exchange for you." He said matter-of-factly. "You were supposed to be in there for three more days before we came for you." He added.

Her heart stopped for a moment. Three more days would have surely killed her, as surely as a kunai being run across her throat.

"What went wrong?"

"Plans change." The words sounded too familiar, and she shivered with the sick feeling it twisted up in the bottom of her stomach. "One of Sasori-san's old spies found out that they were going to be… questioning you soon. We couldn't afford to have any information leaked, and we'd gotten nearly everything it seemed we would from them."

"Oh…" Rei realized just how close she had come to being someone's little harem girl. She felt sick. Cupping her mouth she rested her forehead on the edge of the table, "I don't feel good…" She muffled.

Itachi was at her side like a shadow, draping his cloak over her mostly bare shoulders and rubbing a firm hand up and down her back.

"Have you eaten anything?" He murmured in her ear.

She shook her head against the table as much as was manageable. The strong wave of nausea started to ebb, she took a few cautious deep breaths.

"When was the last time you ate?" His voice was a bit louder, more concerned now.

"…Umm…Yesterday morning…and that…wasn't much." She moved her hands to talk, and then slowly sat up; his arm around her back.

"I'll get you something," Just as he was getting up Kisame set a bag of food on the table. A wide sharky grin playing on his face.

"That won't be necessary." He stated as if he'd saved the day.

She cracked a smile. _How in the hell can he move around like a ghost?_

Kisame bellowed out a laugh, as though he'd heard her inner thought.

* * *

"Seems like they kept her in pretty good condition," Kisame choked out through a mouthful of rice.

"Surprisingly," Itachi nodded.

Kisame laughed, looking at the leftovers of Rei's meal. Only a few steamed vegetables remained, and a few tiny grains of rice sat at the bottom of her bowl. "She ate like a horse…"

"Be quiet!" Itachi snapped under his breath—a sound almost more threatening than if he had spoke aloud. "She's trying to sleep."

Kisame looked over to the closed sliding door, and shook his head, "I didn't wake her…She's out cold." He poked at a squishy squid, still twitching on his plate. "I suppose she should be, after that."

Suddenly Itachi shifted, and stood up from the table. He strode away with all the grace his lean legs could put forth, and disappeared behind the sliding door.

The room was dark, and thought the curtains had been pulled wide open no moon light came in. Rei slept soundly under the covers of the large futon laid in the center of the room. His eyes adjusted to the night quickly, wandering the length of her blanketed body.

The Uchiha walked over with silent steps, and knelt at the side of her sleeping form. He sat formal style, on his knees, hands resting in his lap as he watching her deep breaths in, and out.

She would mumble every few minutes; her babblings weren't pained, but accompanied by soft smiles.

Itachi bent his head to hers, their foreheads brushing, as he let his lips meet hers. "You're safe." He whispered to her, though she would never hear it. It was something of a cowardly act, to not tell her to her face, but, he wasn't strong enough to let down that wall yet, even for her. And somewhere in his heart, even though he knew how selfish it was considering she gave him everything, he never wanted to break down that wall.

There was a light scuffle outside the door. The large dark shape of a body was silhouetted on the shoji screen.

Itachi's sharingan nearly burned a hole through the paper thin wall, "What is it Kisame?"

"Looks like we aren't done with this one yet…one of the bastards got away. Konan stopped by to inform us. You were busy." Kisame answered Itachi's unasked questions, knowing him for so long helped with those kinds of things, making unnecessary conversations avoidable.

The door slid open, and Kisame was there leaning with his back against the wall, the light from the other room casting a shadowy glow about him. "We should leave now," Kisame grunted as he pushed himself off. "…If we wanna get 'em fast."

Itachi watched Rei's pale face, her closed eyes, her soft lips and the small breaths that flowed out from them. "We'll be back before she's awake." Itachi was resolute in his words as he stood up and found his way out of the room, sliding the door shut without a sound. "Let's go."

* * *

Rei woke up late, sometime in the middle of the night. There wasn't a single fleeting sound in the whole hotel room. Kisame wasn't snoring in the room across the way. Itachi wasn't asleep next to her. She knew she was alone almost instantly.

She sat up running a hand through her hair, the slender fingers pulling out tangles. After her shower she hadn't brushed her hair, or changed for that matter. Still clad in the white bath robe, she slid out from under the blankets and found her way to her bag—thankfully Itachi had kept it, her book was in there.

The brush handle touched her finger tips and she pulled at it, dislodging it from the bag. The simple gray brush caught the remaining tangles that her fingers couldn't. Her raven black hair was silky and a soft after being cleaned. It felt wonderful in her fingers.

Though she knew the truth about her ordeal now, she still had doubts hanging like storm clouds above her head. She wondered whether or not Pein really just wanted her dead and Konan's coldness from earlier fueled her doubt.

She sighed heavily and shoved the brush back under the clothes in the pack. The dog-eared book was calling to her, even in the shadows. Taking the book and flipping on the lamps in the room she scooted out the door into the kitchen, turning those lights as well. Book set on the table, she headed for the kitchen area, found one of the tea packets Kisame bought, and made herself a steamy cup.

There was a quickly scrawled note, from Itachi sitting on the table top. Even though it was scribbled down in a hurry, it still retained some of the elegance of his penmanship.

_Something came up. If you should wake before I return, don't worry, I will be back._

She cracked a small smile, slid the note aside and set down her cup as her bottom met with the cushion. Legs sprawled to the side, and leaning on an elbow, she flipped to a good point in her book and started off from there.

_Though she should have been doing her mundane duties about the castle, Natsuki was daydreaming, a sweet ride by moonlight, her back pressed gently to his chest as he held tight to the reins in front of her. Trees flew by as they passed them, a vessel unattached to the surrounding world, something much more lovely and free. _

_The lake had come up to meet them, like some called upon sanctuary from a distant kingdom. The horse cantered to a stop, and Kyouya helped her down. She, a palace servant, he, a stable keeper, an odd but true match was set between them. They were deeply and irrevocably in love. _

_Their love, not forbidden, but nearly impossible to keep because it was even more impossible to find time for the other, was of the sweetest sort, the truest sort. They both knew it deep in their hearts, for it was the very thing that made their hearts go on beating at the end of each day._

"_Natsuki!" Her Lady called, bringing her back to the present. "Finish your work!" _

"_Hai…Oyuki-sama."_

"I've heard that's a good book."

Rei twirled in her spot, seeing behind her, the blue-haired Konan, God's Angel.

She was on the other side of the room, already stealing away into the bedroom, still holding her book firmly in her hand. Then glint of a kunai in the woman's hand was what set Rei off so quickly, she thanked Itachi for the speed he'd given her, though her tired limbs didn't respond well to the sudden actions.

Rei saw the flash of red clouds on cloaks as black as night in the corner of her eye, but it was too late to act on it.

Pein's hand clasped her throat tightly, pinning her to the barrier behind. Rei's sleepy eyes watered and the white robe she wore was falling open. "We really did wish they would kill you." Konan seemed to giggle in the background somewhere.

"W-why?" Her question was for Pein alone, her eyes boring into him. His pierced face was frightening, but she didn't dare avert her eyes.

"You're quite useless, always needing to be rescued and saved. We don't have time for it." His hand tightened, and he raised her body off the ground, hanging her against the wall.

Her hands shot up, clasping around his on her throat, trying to tear it away from her as she choked. Her eyes were pinned shut with pain, her nails dragging at his skin with weak strokes.

There was a commotion behind Pein, but she couldn't manage to open her eyes wide enough to see.

"Pein!" Itachi's voice rang out clearest in her ears. The front door slammed shut, after most likely, Kisame entered.

"Konan, stop them," Pein glanced back.

"Sir," She spun in Rei's peripheral vision, facing the door now as Kisame and Itachi rushed in.

"Kisame!" Itachi ordered as he swooped in from the other side. It was a bit of a mess to try to watch. Itachi veered right as Kisame went left. The shark man got behind the kunoichi, taking her arms behind her back, holding her there as she struggled.

Itachi stopped only feet away from Pein, close enough to strike, but not close enough for Rei to feel safe.

"Let her go!" Itachi raged from where he stood. His rage laced in with his mute voice, a deathly whisper in the night.

"Gladly," He smirked, dropping the Ishida girl to the floor, and aiming a kunai at her. She hadn't seen when he pulled it, or if he'd had it all along, she only saw that now, it was going to lead to her death.

"Of what purpose is she to us, or even to you?" Pein wondered openly.

Rei's crimson eyes fell on Itachi's face, and yet, he wouldn't look at her, hunched there on the floor, legs sprawled in front of her, hands grasping to pull the robe closed at her chest. He was intent on the side of Pein's pierced face.

_Tell him…tell him…you love me! Please…You have to say it…_

"She is like a child's doll, once you've played with all her tricks, she's got no more point. She is obsolete." She watched the leader's eyes curve to the side as he tilted his head to eye Itachi's reaction. "She's useless." His eyes glinted hell as he spun back, dragging the kunai down through the air to her chest.

"No." Itachi bolted forward, yanking back the kunai, wrenching it away from Pein. "She's useful to me. I need her yet." Rei may have seen hell shining in Pein's eyes, but Itachi's were close to the embodiment of its very depths, a blazing scorching inferno.

_Yet he couldn't say it… _'Useful' and 'need' weren't 'love' and she needed to hear him say it, not just to her, but she needed everyone to know, if he couldn't tell them, couldn't admit to loving her…how could she believe when he said it to her?

Kisame had left Konan without chakra, thanks to his Samehada, and now he was helping Itachi restrain the leader.

Rei didn't catch what Itachi told him, but suddenly Pein was infuriated. Itachi and Kisame where repelled by Pein's powers, and again Rei was dangling in the air, free from the wall this time however.

"Count yourself lucky this time." He hissed, and she could still sense his killer intent. She fell to the floor with a painful smack, and no breath in her lungs. She just lay there like paralyzed victim, hollow and scared.

**End Chapter Three:

* * *

**A/N: Hope you're enjoying the story if you're reading it^_^ I don't know when the next chapter will be up, it all depends...

AngelFire Rei~


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Alright! Chapter four edited, finally^_^. Enjoy~

* * *

**Chapter Four: **

Rei was in Itachi's arms the next thing she was aware of. "Rei, did he hurt you?" She looked around, the futon and been pushed to the far wall of the room, and now Itachi was leaning back against that wall, holding her. Kisame was out in the other room, it sounded like he may have been drinking.

"No…" She whispered, trying not to cry. "Why didn't you tell him...?" Her voice dropped in volume, barely audible.

"What?" Itachi lifted her with the arm he had laced behind her back until she was sitting, placing her mouth close to his ear.

"You didn't tell him..." She felt her heart clench tight in her chest as she willed back tears that were already falling, "...and you never will..." She let her head fall against his shoulder in the realization that even if he loved her, it wasn't enough, because she loved him so much more, and so, their love would never meet in the middle. Rei couldn't keep pushing herself to love him more, to make up for what he couldn't seem to.

"I do love you." Itachi's brow creased, not understanding how she could propose that he didn't.

"It doesn't always seem like it." She snipped, she didn't mean for her tone to be so stingy but it was too late to take it back. So she stood by it.

"What proof do you have that, by my telling him I loved you, he would spare you?" Itachi inquired.

"The point isn't that it would or would not have saved me." She told him, scooting off his lap and over his legs. When she stood she pulled the robe tight once more, scurrying over to her bag. She let the top of the robe fall away from her shoulders as she pulled on one of her black tank-tops and a pair of night shorts. Rei left the robe lying there on the floor as she walked back over to Itachi. She looked at him, his dark hair, black eyes, the smoothness of his skin, and knew that she was in love with him. And though right now her mind was telling her to run, her heart said, "stay, and try again." So she would.

Rei crawled next to him resting in the arch of his arm as his finger tips softly grazed her arm. The slow pattern was a familiar comfort, "It doesn't matter what I told him. He won't want to remove you from Akatsuki again any time soon. That's what matters." Somehow, what he said was not.

His eyes seemed far away when she looked up into them, he was calculating and planning, thinking of all the possibilities, just like he always did. She only hoped that in every scenario he came up with, she was at his side, and he loved her. She hoped.

* * *

Itachi was sleeping next to her when she woke up, and Kisame was snoring in the front room. She wondered how hard their night was; she wondered if the mission went well. Itachi had mentioned that Konan had stopped by to drop of the assignment. Somehow, it was all too obvious that "God" and his "Angel" and planned to send the team away, and leave Rei, so that they could take her life. Though Rei wasn't sure why they waited so long to act, maybe, her waking hadn't been part of the plan, and they took time to regroup. Whatever it was that delayed them, Rei was thankful.

The pattern started up on her arm. "Morning," she whispered. "Can we go home today?" She wondered how long he'd really been awake.

"Hn, yes. We'll leave in the afternoon, once the sun starts to set." He mumbled a bit sleepy yet.

She shifted, looking at his perfect face, wondering how he kept such perfection in everything about him. She reached up, running her cool finger tips along his jaw line. His eyes flared open, and then she was on her back, one finger firmly pressed to her lips. "Don't tempt me," He grinned like the devil, maybe he was. She didn't care.

"Forgive me," She pouted a bit as she whispered on to his skin, and gave him a soft set of puppy-dog eyes.

"Hn, not so easily." He removed his finger and replaced it with his lips, pressing down on hers gently. Rei didn't know it, and Itachi wouldn't tell her. But he couldn't be more relieved that she was back in his arms, and safe. He hoped, that the kiss, would tell her some part of his inner thinking. _I love you, Rei..._

Rei couldn't help feel that the kiss was lacking. She still felt betrayed. Even though she understood it in her mind, his explanation didn't fully satisfy her heart; in fact it almost made it worse. When he pulled away, she knew she wasn't the same. Or rather, their love wasn't.

"I'm going to go take a shower." She whispered distantly, getting up and heading to the bathroom. Rei needed to think.

The hot water cascaded down her skin, warming it deliciously. Her mind was busy replaying the night, and the days prior. It didn't take long before she began to shake, her tears mixing with the water, and the sobs being drowned out by the sound of water pouring down on her. Trying to think it all through, to give everything a reasonable and acceptable answer, was too much for her.

She slunk down, pressing her back to the porcelain white wall, realizing how much wasn't lining up. If she thought hard about it, she found that the root of it was probably somewhere near two months back. She remembered Itachi growing more distant, close to the man he'd been when she first came to him. He'd stopped taking her on certain missions, stopped telling her things, keeping more secrets than seemed necessary. And then her mind would do a complete spin, leaving her back in the present, with more unanswered questions.

"What is going on!?" She bawled, feeling herself breaking down as she curled in on herself, pressing her forehead to her knees, and shaking helpless as a lost kit.

The water ran cold after awhile, but it didn't matter, her body had run cold long before that, and her tears wouldn't stop, her thoughts only circled around one thing one.

_Why didn't he say it…why…why didn't he…say it…why didn't you…why…_

She probably over thought some of it, and under thought other bits, but whatever she thought, it mattered to her, and in the end, it hurt her, very deeply, it pushed her off her own mental cliff, and she didn't know how hard she was going to fall, until she was falling.

* * *

Itachi found her crouched in the corner of the bath room, a loose towel wrapped around her, and at first, her dripping hair hid the tears from him. He took another towel from the rod and squatted in front of her, slinging the peach colored towel behind her head. He pulled it up to her cheeks and wiped them dry, as she watched him blankly, sniffling every so often.

"Rei…" He pressed his forehead to hers, and felt how cold she was, even though the day outside was warm, she felt like she was under a winter chill.

"Itachi…" Her small hand came up and pushed his face away from hers as she looked to meet his eyes. "I wanna go home…" She whimpered.

"I'll take you home." He said flatly. The Uchiha was at a loss, and knew it. Her eyes were dull, her skin paler than was normal, and she was freezing cold, and he didn't know why, he worried inwardly.

Standing he took her hand as she grasped feebly with the other to keep the towel around her. Straightening herself on shaky legs, she clung to him.

Itachi tried to hide her from Kisame as they crossed into the bedroom, but it was a poor job of it. The door slid shut on a gawking Kisame, cup hanging in midair, never reaching his blue lips.

Itachi turned Rei around in his arms. "Get dressed; we'll leave as soon as you're ready." He told her, watched her nod, and go to her bag, and then he left with heavy thoughts weighing him down.

"What happened to her?" Kisame said in a low breath. "She looks…terrible." He kicked back a shot of the rice wine.

"I found her like that." Itachi said as he sat down and took a glass and poured himself a shot, god, did he need it. "Whatever is running through that head of hers…is at fault."

"But are you the fault of the fault? Did you say something?" Kisame eyed Itachi, knowing how easily Rei could be set off but simple words, knowing from first hand experience.

"It's what I _didn't_ say." Itachi closed his eyes and creased his brow, wondering why it mattered so much to her. He didn't understand some of her logic at times, and it was difficult, especially when she fell. He'd just never watched her fall so fast and hard.

* * *

They got home without a problem, and once they were there, Rei confined herself to her room and from there her bed.

After that, she had her good days, and her bad, the latter being the more frequent. On the good days, her eyes would brighten, and if it was a very good day, she may even have laughed.

What came most notably with her drastic change beside her new apathetic take on life, was that she'd started wearing long sleeved shirts, and opting for pants or shorts over her usual mini skirt.

She stopped sleeping in Itachi's room; she'd only come as far as the door, and lean in the frame. He would watch her from the bed if the door was open, which quickly became habit. Rei would look back, blankly, and she could stay that way for hours.

One night, she fell asleep standing there, as she began to collapse Itachi darted out and caught her. He was as tired as she was, and so, he just laid her next to him. The covers came up around her shoulders, and he wrapped an arm over her as he found sleep as well.

Rei woke up, in Itachi's bed for the first time since the mission almost two weeks ago. She didn't move, his arm was over her, it felt warm, very warm, too warm, but she didn't move. He kissed her shoulder, and she semi regretted still sleeping in tank-tops, but the summer wouldn't allow for her to sleep in her over-sized T's yet.

Itachi pulled her under him, bringing his lips to hers. Whatever attempt he was making at patching things between them, she didn't budge from her cold exterior. Rei did not return the kiss.

He pulled away quickly with the realization, not wanting to force himself upon her, even though he did want to force himself on her. "Not yet?" He whispered, hoping he hadn't gone too far.

"Not ever." She answered, finally shifting from the bed, sliding from under him, and running out the door and down the hall.

Itachi watched her, face blank as she ran from him. He fisted the sheets tightly and whispered solemnly, "Rei…"

* * *

She wasn't crying or shaking as she buried her face in her own pillow, she was cold. Rei almost regretted leaving the warmth of Itachi's bed, it had felt right, lying there next to him, but at the same time, it was that kind of right that feels wrong.

Maybe she would have stayed there with him, if he hadn't kissed her, but he did kiss her. It was too much, or perhaps it was the fact that it was too little that was too much, either way, she couldn't handle it.

Rei tried to have good days, she tried to smile, but any time she got close, she could feel herself breaking down.

Hearing the heavy door close down at the end of the hall, Rei knew he'd left. She turned over glowering at the ceiling, sighing deep and deciding that glaring at the wall was more comfortable, she rolled up onto her side.

Once she found herself in that position, she didn't want to move, and honestly, couldn't see a reason to. The growling of her stomach told her that her body was hungry, her desert dry throat demanded a drink, but her mind said that she didn't really need those things, that she'd be fine if she went without.

Time passed un-kept, it seemed like ages, lying there, and yet it could maybe have been only seconds. In the ages that lasted only seconds, Rei heard one swift tap on her door.

"Kid…" Kisame's voice was muffled by the door. She could just picture him standing out there, worried expression hidden in the dark halls.

She tossed over like a loose sack, her hair trailing over her shoulder. "What is it?" Her dull eyes blindly focused on the door.

When it opened and he came in, she didn't hear any of it, he was standing beside her bed when she finally fully looked, when she really saw.

"He left." She mumbled.

"He did. What happened?" Kisame nodded glancing around her room in the same movement. It was dark, the curtains were drawn, and there was a mess of clothes on the floor, it was really strange to see her room this way. It unsettled the large man.

"What does it matter?" Rei countered.

"You two will make it impossible to live here." He explained, though it was obvious that wasn't the truth, that wasn't what he really thought.

"Then move out." She hissed and rolled over again glaring at the wall once more.

His hand came down hard on her shoulder, pulling her so that she was laying on her back, staring wildly up at him. "You can't go on like this." He paused, then looked her cold in the eyes, his gray ones searing into hers, dull as they were. "It's hurting all of us. So what ever it was that happened between you and him, Kid… Rei…You need to fix it."

"I don't know how to fix it!" She suddenly felt like the wrongly accused victim. "It's not my fault!" Rei sat up, flailing a bit against his hand.

"Never said it was anyone's fault." Kisame defended weakly as he let her up.

"Then…what do you want me to say?" Rei's little energy burst was already losing its effect.

"Is there anything _to_ say?"

"No," She fell back onto her pillow with that, blinking at the tears. "Not until he does…Him first…"

**End Chapter Four:

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading, i love my readers, and my Rei-chan, and Masashi for making all the lovely characters i've borrowed for this story^_^

AngelFire Rei~


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Here is Chapter 5! Enjoy^_^

* * *

**Chapter Five:**

Kisame had told her not to mope around all day and to get up and do some work, but he hadn't really meant it. So she lay in her bed wasting away the morning, only changing positions to glare at something else, a new wall, the floor, the ceiling, her pillow, they all met her dark stare.

When nature called, she pulled herself from the bed, and her room, down the hall and around the corner to the bathroom. After relieving herself, she noted in the mirror how tangled her hair looked, now sunk in and dull her eyes seemed. She ran cool water over a cloth she'd pulled from the shelf behind the door.

She was already cold, so warm water most likely would have felt better, but as she rubbed the wash cloth over her face, it couldn't have felt any better. It was refreshing.

As she set the cloth down, she managed to knock over one of her brushes and the hand soap tray.

The little bottle leaked its soapy blue liquid on the floor and on her hair brush. She cursed, sighed, and bent to clean it with the cloth that was already in her hands.

Placing the bottle back up on the sink, she wiped at the floor, and then grabbed up her brush as she stood.

Rei rinsed it under some warm water, and put it in the drawer when it was clean and dry.

Looking up again, she saw her eyes were a bit livelier, and most of the dark shadows on her face had vanished.

It didn't take much after that, she just started cleaning anything that looked like it needed it in the bathroom, then her spree flowed out into the hall, and from there, her room, to the kitchen, and every room and hall in between.

When she was in her own room she changed into a long sleeved gray shirt—a clean one, but instead of her shorts, she pulled on one of her maroon mini skirts for the first time in weeks. She brushed back her hair into a loose pony-tail, and clipped back her bangs with a cherry blossom hairpin that a friend from Konoha had given her.

Then it was back to the cleaning, whether it was just something to keep her busy or not, it did make her feel better, even if just for a little while.

She stopped in the kitchen to eat something, when her hunger became too much to bare.

Rei was tossing away half a chicken leg when Kisame came in and said he'd eat the rest. The plate clacked against the counter as she set it back, and moved away, heading for the sink to wash her hands. She put the stopper in and watched the water rise, adding some dish soap, so that she could do the dishes since she was already in the room.

"What have you been up too, Kid?" He grunted after swallowing what was left of the chicken.

"Cleaning…" She mumbled, sheepishly.

"I didn't really mean for you to work…you know? I meant do something for you," He said from the table.

"I am…" Rei snatched away the plate and rinsed it, before plunking it into the hot water to be washed. The warmth felt good on her hands; however, she knew her hands would have wrinkles like prunes if she left them in the water too long.

He didn't say anything, it was crystal clear that she was having a good day, and he didn't want to be the one to spoil it. Instead he just finished his mid day snack quietly, as she stood at the sink, keeping a smooth pattern, wash, rinse, and clink as a plate or glass or bowl was set on the counter to dry. Just as he was finishing, she started to hum a sweet little song; the ex-mist nin stole a few seconds of her song for himself, before leaving.

* * *

She stood outside Itachi's door, everywhere else was clean, and normally she'd clean his room too, it was just that normalcy that brought her there, and left her just standing outside the door now.

Rei sighed, decided she'd just do it, and be done with it. Her fingers closed around the cold doorknob and turned it letting herself in. First things first, she pulled open the curtains, letting in some natural light, which she preferred over all other forms, be it lamp or candle, the sun was the best. She started with dusting, and would probably end, on her hands and knees washing the floor.

* * *

When Itachi finally came back home, Kisame was in the kitchen, sitting at the table, slouching over a book unusual as that was, he looked uninterested in the pages.

"Shoulda seen her today," He commented off-handedly.

"One of her good days?" The Uchiha genius settled himself into the chair across from his Hoshigaki partner. Taking one of the strawberries from the bowl at the center of the table, he reclined backwards in the chair.

"Hmm, yeah…she cleaned the whole damn place."

They both looked around the room, and it did seem to have a shine it hadn't held in a while. There wasn't mindless clutter on the countertops, and the table was free of used dishes, which Kisame would leave behind.

"Where is she now?" Itachi raised an eyebrow.

Kisame looked up, concern playing on his shark-y features. "Probably…in your room…"

Itachi kicked back, strolling out of the room. He tried to ignore the worry on Kisame's face. There wasn't really a reason for it, only the worry that she could spiral downward more, but honestly, they both agreed silently that, she couldn't get much lower.

The door closed with a soft thud, and he pressed his back to it, watching her jump up from the floor in shock and surprise—not in that order. She saw him, him blocking her only exit, unless she really saw fit to use the window, by god she hoped that wouldn't have to come into play…

Itachi had her alone in his room, for the second time that day, and this time, he wasn't going to let her run away.

"Please…" She shivered, looking, trying to look past him at the door. Rei could count the fifty different ways this could end badly. She dared herself to move, and somehow, her body responded, taking steps forward, until she was right in front of him. Though he was leaning against the door, he wasn't blocking the handle, she made a move to reach for it, grasping at it and managing to turn it, but when she pulled, of course, it didn't budge.

"Rei," He pushed off the door, taking a step forward of his own making her lose ground, he was on top of her, and even though she could have moved in every direct except forward for several feet, she felt utterly caged in. Trapped. The word echoed in her head menacingly.

He leaned in lacing an arm around her back, pulling her closer.

"I need to talk to you now, when you're like this." He whispered in her ear.

Frozen, she was frozen, not a word would come to her mind, let alone her lips. Rei fought for it, for something, anything to say. "…L-like w-what?" She choked out the first thing that came to her.

"I'm not playing games." His eyes flashed red at her as he suddenly pulled back. "I have to talk with you."

It was an instant reaction, the second his hand left her back she practically jumped away from him, taking several large steps back. "Then talk, don't touch." She ordered; it was like the mouse giving orders to the lion.

"Alright," He smirked, taking a few steps back, meeting with the door, and leaning heavy on it, stuffing his hands in his pants pockets. Somehow, though he was lazing, he still seemed like the most threatening being on the face of the earth.

Reflexively her hands came up need her chest and she cupped one hand over the other as she looked away from him. "What did you want to talk about…?" She mumbled

"You," He answered plainly.

"…duh, what about me…?" She prompted him a little bit.

"Rei, you've been acting dejected for days now—" He started pacing his way over from the door, circling her a bit, watching her eyes watch his.

"Depressed, you mean." She corrected him, he was sugarcoating it.

His eyes scanned her, deducing whatever they could from those three words, how she said them, the way she stood when she said them, to him, it would all mean something.

"Yes," Oh, and he could sum it—all of it—up with one word. Talented bastard.

She scoffed, some of her old self finding its way to the surface. Following his eyes, she couldn't help but notice them catch in places they shouldn't have. There had been times before when she'd wondered if it was her body he loved, or if it was her he loved, now, was one of those times, made worse by that fact that she had been deeply questioning the relationship for weeks.

"It's because of that night, correct?" His next question was something he already knew, and knew that he knew, yet he'd confirm it anyway.

"Uh-huh, that's right." She nodded as she turned on her heel to keep eye contact with him as he circled her. It only dawned on her now, how close he'd managed to get without her notice. "Why are we discussing this!?" She challenged.

"Because," He was suddenly in front of her again, he was so close he could have been touching her, but he wasn't, whether that was because she asked him not to or not was unclear. "You're hurting," His eyes softened, and faded to black as he looked at her face. He wanted so bad to stroke her cheek, to caress her entire body. His hand rose involuntarily, reaching out.

"Don't!" She backed away from him, her eyes tearing, "Just don't…" Rei shook her head, blinking her eyes, hiding the tears pointlessly, he'd already seen.

Itachi couldn't stop himself from reaching out, grabbing her arms and pulling her to him, pressing his lips to hers. She fought back, and almost got a scream out but when she felt his lips press down; there wasn't anything in her to fight back with anymore. His fingers snaked up her arms and caressed her neck, and back into her hair, he even managed to get the hair tie out.

Worst of all, for her, was that she returned the kiss, letting her lips brush back against his. In the back of her mind she was screaming at herself to stop, because she knew from past experience that Uchiha Itachi did not stop at a kiss. But, when he didn't force anything more on her than the initial peck, and she began to orchestrate the entire affair, she realized how much he was holding back. Rei realized that there wasn't a thing that was making her keep kissing him, but herself. When that realization sunk too deep she pulled away, stepping back.

"I…" Her breath wasn't steady, neither was her heartbeat, she was a complete mess, a complete mess once again on the verge of tears. _Why did I…do that?_

When he closed his eyes and leaned in again she was afraid that he wasn't going hold back anymore. Her eyes snapped shut, until she felt his forehead gently brush hers, and his palms caress her shoulders as her arms hung stiff, one hand sneaking up into her hair again, "It's alright," He whispered, and her crimson irises fluttered open under her lashes.

_It's not, but let's pretend…_She whispered to herself.

She told her mind to shut the hell up and just enjoy his touch. So in his dim room, Rei gave into herself, ignoring her thoughts and aching heart. Because in that moment, if he didn't love her, she would lie to herself, saying he did. If for just that one moment, she could believe it again, it would be enough, it had to be.

Slowly, like a hesitant child, she brought her arms up around him, and pressed into him. He pulled her into a tight embrace, brushing his lips over her forehead, holding her too him.

It must have been antagonizing for him—she reasoned—letting her lead him for once. The slow pace probably was even worse. He'd have to endure it.

In all honesty, even though he would have liked things to go easier, faster, he also enjoyed it, having her touch him, especially of her own accord, now that she was in such a fragile state.

He focused on how her fingers crawled over his skin, the back of his neck, into his hair. Itachi felt her press her cheek to his chest and sniffle a bit as one of her hands dropped down to his shoulder.

"I…I can't…" She swallowed hard starting to pull away.

He brushed at the tears running down her cheek and she flinched away from his fingers. Rei pouted a bit, shaking her head, closing her eyes, she backed up until the backs of her knees hit the side of his bed. Falling back, she slouched on the mattress, cupping her face in her hands as her elbows were braced on her knees.

There was a small shuffle as he came over and knelt on one knee in front of her. "Rei…" He hesitated, or maybe he was just thinking of exactly what words he wanted to use like usual, but it seemed more like hesitation than calculating. "Tell me what you're thinking."

As she looked up, she met directly with his beautiful coal black eyes, they were smoldering like dying embers in a fire. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't know what I'm thinking…" Rei shivered as he shifted and sat beside her leaving just enough space between them.

Peeking over at him, he wasn't really watching her or anything else in particular, his eyes however, said, 'Start somewhere,' and she knew he was waiting with only the patience he could maintain.

She sighed, talking about things always helps in its own little ways, but when you're talking about things that have to do with the person you're telling, it can sometimes have the opposite effect, and make things worse. Rei crossed her fingers mentally.

It took her a few moments to collect her thoughts. Thinking about where the problem really started, that's where she decided to start. Hoping he'd put up with some already asked questions, "…Why didn't _you_ tell me about the mission…?"

He was quiet for a moment before answering her. "I was ordered not to."

She fell forward, elbows meeting her knees again, taking in his answer, analyzing it like he analyzed everything she said. In the end she believed him, for at least as much as that it was an order. "Did you want to?" Rei looked at the door, "Did you want to tell me?"

"Yes, and no." His answer came fast and sure and she knew that he'd thought that one over many times, just by the quickness he spoke with. Her eyes bored into the door for nearly five minutes. She was debating with herself as to whether or not she wanted him to explain that answer. He watched her the whole time, not saying nor doing anything.

When she finally rocked back she sighed heavily, like the weight of the world was pressing down on her with no mercy. Rei looked at him fleetingly before leaning into him, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder and neck.

"Hn?" He looked at her and she looked very worn out and pale, her closed eyelids were dark and heavy looking.

"Tired," She mumbled pressing against him a bit more without realizing. He slipped an arm around her and guided them as he laid them both back onto the bed, turning enough in the same motion so that her head found the pillow.

His free hand bent back and rested under his head. "I'll take you to your room when you fall asleep." He said smoothly.

"Un-un…I'm not done yet." Her eyes were wide, looking up at him as he glanced down at her.

He just nodded and closed his eyes. When she turned onto her side she reached a crooked arm across his chest, and her hand closed gently around a bunch of his black t-shirts fabric. He noted in a quick flicker of his eyes that she was in a long sleeve again, and it was pulled up around her palms.

"Why did you leave me alone?" Her voice was stronger sounding now.

"You were exhausted." He answered quickly again.

Moving on, "You didn't know they were there…" she stated more than asked.

She felt his fist tighten against her back, and never got an answer, she took it for a 'no' and a 'if I had…' well, she didn't want to think about that.

"You wanted me to tell him I loved you?" He suddenly turned the tables, asking the questions now.

Her turn to hesitate, "…Yes."

Long black lashes batted at her as she looked up into his eyes, waiting for his next question. God, did she love his eyes.

"Why?" Her eyes darned to his lips, then back to his eyes as he spoke.

"…I don't know…" Her eyes went wider a bit, and then she blinked a couple of times, not meeting his eyes.

Itachi knew she was crying, or rather fighting not to. He didn't mention it. Instead he kissed her forehead again. "I love you." He whispered surely.

"Itachi…" She whimpered, "…I don't believe it…"

"That doesn't change the fact that it's true." He sighed.

There wasn't any more talk, just the soft sound of her sobbing herself into sleep. What could he have done for her? All he could do was hold on to her, for the moment. Her fist was still balled in his shirt, and as he went to move her hand away, so he could bring her to her own room her eyes opened, a fearful look shining in them, it was the most beautiful thing, to see life in her eyes again. "I wanna stay…" She mumbled softly.

And so, she stayed. Rei stayed by his side all night, and all night he watched her sleep, and all night he hoped secretly. He hoped she'd be herself again soon.

The next day she was better, not recovered, not one hundred percent, but better. She got up and ate something, went outside for awhile. Be it as it may, she was distant yet, but her eyes were clear again, she seemed on the road to recovery.

To bad it was an act, a painted picture of something that didn't exist. She was faking it.

And for the next week, she continued the play, keeping clear of Itachi as much as she could, making it seem like she just needed _a little_ more time. While at night she stifled painful sobs, because the only thing that continued to ring clear from they're conversation was that "…I don't believe it…"

**End Chapter Five:

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A/N: Hope you liked it, leave a nice reveiw pwease?

AngelFire Rei~

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	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Kay, here's six^_^

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**Chapter Six:**

Itachi realized, that in trying to make her hard and cold like he was, he may have pushed her too far, pushed her past her usefulness, pushed her past a breaking point. A breaking point he hadn't realized she had.

He watched her, over the days, as she seemed to improve, but each day, as she looked better, she seemed worse. Not physically, or even mentally, but, emotionally. Rei would smile, but it just wouldn't seem quite right, she would laugh, but it would be short lived, _he _couldn't touch _her_. That last one stood out like blood in the snow. She used to need his touch so badly that it was almost obnoxious on occasion. Rei kept her distance well, not coming to him more than seemingly necessary.

Itachi stopped her in the hall one night, after Kisame had left for supplies. He grasped her arm, pulling her in, trapping her where she could easily escape.

"You're not yourself." He stated, the indifference in his voice was just barely there.

"I am who I am." She said, wrenching her arm from his hand. She started to retreat from him.

"Who are you now? Right now?" He backed her into the wall, planting his palms on either side of her, blocking her in, meeting her eyes with his heated night-black gaze. He looked her up and down, taking in every minute detail, analyzing it under the most thorough scrutiny.

"Itachi…what…" She stared back, like the prey before the lion, shaking painfully. He could hear her finger nails scrape against the stone as she clung to it, pressing her small lithe frame to the wall. Her wide eyes wouldn't leave his, not for one forgiving moment.

"Whatever happened to you that night has changed you. I don't know who you are." He leaned away, his lips forming a flat straight line, his eyes turning, swirling into red sharingan irises.

She moved forward, no longer shaking, no longer looking like the prey, and whispered, "Good, that makes two of us. If you find out where _I_ went, let _me_ know." She hissed venomously as she pushed past him, one burning hand pressing on his chest as she slid by.

He watched her walk off down the hall, with no obvious hurry. Her hair cascading down her back flowed in smooth waves as she moved slowly away from him.

"Rei." He said, causing her pause. His eyes drifted to no place in particular, as long as they didn't meet hers as she spun.

Her eyes were blazing, with pain it would seem, if you could name the internal burning by any emotion, pain suited it best. Yes, it was pain. She was in pain.

"I'm going to sleep now, Itachi-sama." She sighed, and started to her room again, seemingly at a quicker pace. She was trying to get away from him now.

* * *

Her door shut softly behind her, and as soon as she heard the click, she tossed her rag doll body onto the bed. She felt herself go through all the stages that he'd watched her go through, the original shock and anger, the crash and burn, the depression, the feigning recovery, and now this, the numb apathetic indifference that was left in the wake of that terrible pain, was sure to shock him something awful, when he found out how deep in her core it was seeded.

She'd been afraid at first when he grabbed her in the hall, only out of pure instinct; he was Uchiha Itachi, the S-ranked, ex-Konoha, Anbu captain. Yeah, first reaction, when he whips you aside, coal black eyes burning like hell fire, would be fear. But true to be told, she'd been numb like this for the past few days, the long nights of crying had only just passed.

What he said, about him not knowing who she was, was as true for her as it was for him. In the end, all that seemed to be left was an empty shell. Wherever her soul was out wondering at, she wished it would come back, she needed to kick it's ass around a bit, before sitting down to tea and discussing her emotional situation. _Yeah, that would be a good way to start…_Slumber took her with that thought.

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"Rei!" Itachi's stern voice intruded rudely on a sweet dream of a happier day, a bright morning in his bed, his arms lovingly embracing her—oh yeah, right, just a dream. She curled around, turning to where he stood so close to her bed, she had expected him to be, back pressed to the door, eyes watching her, maybe angry, maybe crimson pinwheels circling at her.

But, oh, his eyes were dark, too dark; she drew in a long breath, and rubbed at one sleepy eye before lying flat on her back staring up at him.

"What?" Her voice was soft and a bit broken from sleep. And though she wanted to feel something, she felt nothing, but, when his eyes suddenly flashed at her, there was, deep inside, a flicker of some primal fear, something only instinct could communicate to her.

"Get up. Now." He ordered, voice softening, only just, from the tone before.

"Reason?" She asked, timid, sliding her elbows back to lean up on them, her hair was messy, framing her face in twisted, tangled strands, her eyes, still retained some brightness.

"I told you to. Now move." His voice darkened considerably.

She tossed over at the order, pulling the white sheet up over her shoulder again, glowering at the wall. No way in hell was she getting up to that, no way. "Wake me up when you have a new attitude." She sucked in a harsh breath—_did that…oh, god, it did…I said that—I said it out loud, fuck me…_Rei grimaced as she pulled her arm out from under the cover and turned a bit, all she saw was his dark eyes.

He lashed out, taking her by the elbow and pulling her from her warm haven. Pulling her to her feet with a grip far too strong, he glared at her, his lips, a flat line, his face, dark.

"I-Itachi…that…hurts…" She whimpered as she feebly tried to push his hand off her with her free one, her tangled hair swaying around wildly as she flailed. His slightly rough hand finally released her somewhere amid the thrashing of her slender and nimble fingers.

"Dressed, now." He didn't even bother with a full sentence; she shook, grasping gently at her arm, where a red hand print was laced lovingly around the whole of it. "We're leaving in ten minutes, no more, no less." He spun with a masculine grace she'd seen every day for years, but today, it seemed a bit frightening as well.

"Wait! Why?" She took a few impulsive steps forward, some life coming to her voice.

The door slammed on her in response.

_I do love you, Rei._ His words came echoing back to her, "Right…that's love…" She plopped back on her bed, examining her arm, the red mark was slowly fading; she wished the burning would go with it.

Her cool fingers pressed to it softly, and she blew even cooler air to it, it wasn't something that should have burned so painfully, maybe it was because someone who was supposed to be her lover had done it with nothing more than cold intentions.

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"She's not ready for another mission, is she, Itachi?" Kisame grumbled outside, as he leaned under the small shade the roof provided for the small yard.

"We shall see." The Uchiha whipped a single kunai with deadly precision at a wooden target. It hit dead center.

The birds seemed to run from the trees on the impact of the kunai, like some deathly signal, setting them off. Itachi listened to the loud beat of their wings soften with distance, until, there was no sound. Not even a breeze on the air…

The door screeched open as he listened. Rei was closing it coolly as he turned to the sound; she tossed back a straying length of hair with smooth indifference to the world as she faced him, and his partner.

"I'm ready." She stated, plainly, purely a matter-of-fact declaration. He noted closely what she wore, her usual black tank-top was pulled over the more recent usual long sleeve gray shirt, her skirt was black—her usual skirt was red, this was a change.

"It matches," She said, watching his eyes catch slightly on her bottom wear in the morning light.

"Is that so?" He mused, could it be that she was just matching her clothes, or…was it deeper, like everything with her seemed to be these days.

His eyes were bothersome in the worst ways, she knew what he was doing, knew what he was watching. But in the end, just because she knew, didn't mean she could stop or avert it, at all. Her lips formed a straight line, pulled tight at the corners. She watched him glance at her, and then back to the road ahead.

"Mine telling me where we're going? You pulled me out of bed…" Her hand automatically went to her paining elbow, "without so much as a 'good morning' let alone and explanation." Rei tried not to grind the last words.

"We've been sent to assassinate Kakudo Iku." Itachi told her almost to fast; as though he were trying to make up for the previous mission's folly.

"If our information stands true, he is staying in a safe house provided to him just on the other side of the next village." He raked his eyes up her side, meeting her eyes briefly.

She nodded, slipping behind him a bit, "Stop watching me…" Rei whined softly, trying to hide from him, behind him.

"Hn," Itachi didn't seem to care, he was probably reading all he could from her every movement.

Rei knew why they had to turn off the road when the sun got to high, being seen just wasn't in the plan, but she really hated walking through the brush and overgrowth, she breathed a 'thank you' for the fact that she'd donned her knee high boots and leg guards today. Itachi and Kisame seemed to always be so far in front of her, and she couldn't keep up, so there was no time to rest. She tramped forward, trying to catch up.

When the sun was so high that even in the shade of the trees the heat was sweltering, she didn't seem to care. She still felt cool. Kisame's complaining kind of threw her off, and she checked her temperature, just in case.

_I'm losing it…aren't I…?_

She sighed, and felt her heart sink a bit when Itachi seemed look back in answer to her private inquiry. His eyes mockingly watching her struggle for her own answers. If only she knew how hers seemed to have the same affect for him.

Skirting the small town through the dense forest took the trio nearly the entire day; the sun was setting when they finally came out on a hill just sitting above a little outcrop.

The land down in the little dip was rocky, but mainly clear, and sure enough in the center, a stone wall was raised around a medium sized home. Rei could see three guards from behind Itachi's shoulder.

"Alright, what's the plan Itachi?" Kisame hung back in the trees, he had one arm raised, holding a branch just above his head as he leaned forward loosely.

The prodigy was silent for much more than a moment as he thoroughly thought over his course of action. He shifted suddenly from his crouch, slinking back into the trees with the Hoshigaki shark man.

"Rei." He ordered her back with them. Remaining in her squatting position she moved back, her eyes staying focused on the building below.

"The sooner we find Kakudo-san the faster this mission will be complete." Itachi was mentioning to Kisame as the shark-like man nodded his big head. Rei moved to her knees, by Kisame's legs, so that she could watch Itachi.

"We should find him first then, cut him first, kill him first." Kisame grinned darkly, obviously thinking of the several different ways he could mutilate their target.

She shuddered, knowing fully well what Kisame was capable of at his worst. "I'm fast, Itachi…" She started, locking eyes with him once she could bring them down from Kisame's dark eyes.

He nodded, after only a short thought, "Go on." He instructed, leaving her no room to back out now.

"I'm faster, let me go to him…I can kill him swiftly," She paused her gaze raking up to Kisame again, before sloping back to the Uchiha. "I'm only worried that, if he should be surrounded by men, that I won't be able to take _them_ afterward." She emphasized.

Itachi closed his eyes slowly, Rei holding her breath as the lids covered the crimson depths behind them. Thinking, thinking, thinking, always thinking, Itachi's mind was working quickly, forming a new plan with the introduction of a new idea, an idea he liked very much. He rapped his purple painted nails on the ground once, before his eyes shot open, "Alright," He spoke, "Rei, I will go with you. We will find Iku and you will kill him as soon as I give the order."

Rei's sigh was stifled only because she hadn't any air to make a sigh with left in her lungs. "Yes," She bowed her head a bit in defeat, she had been hoping she'd be going alone, or at the very least with Kisame at her side, or rather her at his. His eyes, those ever watching eyes would be on her always. He was insuring that.

"I will engage any shinobi protecting him to give you the opportunity," His eyes, only briefly shifted away from her, "Kisame, once you hear the attack inside, feel free to have at the guards on the outside." And then, they were back on her, always watching.

"Sounds fun," The shark seemed to surface in him, Kisame licked his blue lips with an eagerness for blood she could never know, and instinctively she shuddered away from him.

**End Chapter Six:

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A/N: Alright, i'm almost to the end of this one i think^^ only a few more chapters to go~

Remember i only own Rei-chan and this very story, everything else is Kishi's

AngelFire Rei~


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Alright People~ THIS IS THE last CHAPTER! Thanks for all of you that read this story, OC's and their stories don't get much love, so i'm really thankful to anyone that read this! Love you all! Enjoy!

(i do not own anyone or thing but Rei)

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**Chapter Seven:**

Rei sat hovering like an apparition on the roof; Itachi was perched just beside her. She tilted her small mirror just right in the setting sun, it flashed once. _Clear?_

Looking to the trees where she knew Kisame sat waiting, watching the guards pacing the wall, she waited for a reply.

Two small flickers came back. _Not yet._ She couldn't help but sigh impatiently, her legs were getting stiff, she'd need to be able to move quickly to slit Iku's throat before anyone even noticed her, she couldn't do that with cramped legs.

"Patience." Itachi breathed, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Rei was saved from making a biting comment when she caught the single glint flash from the tree line; her legs were off before her tongue. It was a bit of a frightening feeling having Itachi following just behind her, though of course she couldn't hear him, only sensing his very close presence at her heels.

With a fleeting thought, she remembered how having him near on any mission was usually a comfort beyond all things. The last mission skipped into her thoughts; truly it had scarred her in more ways than one.

She felt the loose tiles on the roof beneath her feet, and it made her a bit unsteady as she dropped down silently into the rather tiny courtyard, slinking behind the single tree, which thankfully was large enough to hide two people behind, other wise someone was going to end up in the branches. Rei really didn't like hiding in trees, it was too hard to get a completely silent start that way, at least for her, Itachi would surely fair better.

Her hair slipped over her shoulder in a long strand as she glanced around the tree, the shoji screen was cracked open, she could just see inside. The pale yellow shoji screen was glowing with candle light from inside, and something about the moving, dancing light made her edgy.

_One…he's in clear view…there's one more…two, three at the table just there. _Her eyes raked over the full length of the sliding door, seeing two more frames of other men, sitting in the room. One of which was a very well built looking guy, almost Kisame's size. She slid back into place, pressing her back to the bark. "He's the one in the middle?" She asked without looking at him standing next to her.

The Akatsuki cloak furrowed as he leaned over her just enough to check, she allowed her eyes to trail the bottom hem, straining to not meet his eyes when he came back across her. "Yes."

That's it, then. One dry word with nothing behind it, no hint that maybe he was worried, and no hint that she was either.

Her usual sigh remained absent now; the small exhale that always came to her just before she took someone's life didn't make an appearance. "Ready. Whenever you are Itachi…" She said in a soft tone.

The small noise of him drawing out a blade sent a subtle chill through her veins. "Go." He breathed.

Her feet flew across the ground as she darted smoothly from behind the tree and veered perfectly for the small opening in the door. Frankly, she would have preferred a less direct method; there was so much room for mistake in the forward strike. Being swift, and quiet, maintaining an element of surprise, all the while making sure that the first blow would be the last. If not, if it wasn't, in all likelihood, the attack would end in disaster.

It was just wide enough for her to slip through on an angle. At the instant she crossed the threshold, she drew her kunai, and seconds later the gleaming metal was covered in a thick red coat. Her mad dash over the tatami mats and the one man that was in the way brought her straight at Iku, she slashed his throat, possibly before his eyes even registered her.

As she predicted to Itachi, the guards were on her before she was on her target, not even half a second later the shinobi she'd had to move over was on his feet drawing a katana from his back. _Ex-Anbu…_Her inner thoughts hissed angrily. She immediately recognized the stance as one she'd learned from Itachi, and as one that was difficult to counter at close range.

While bringing up her kunai she prepared herself to be cut, or even run right through with the long blade, just as their target's body hit the floor, his shinobi was swinging his weapon at her.

"Move." Itachi's voice called out calmly. Somehow he was already in the room, she hadn't heard him come in, maybe he'd followed right after her. If he had, there was no way she would have noticed. She had been to focused, to intent on her goal, in those first seconds.

Her body moved in reaction to his velvet voice, as she tucked in on herself and rolled out of the way, and back up on to her knees, then rising to her feet, well away from the strike. It gave Itachi the perfect aim as well, now that she was out of the way.

There was a harsh cry from outside, and Rei let her attentions slip to it for only a moment. Loud pounding steps caught her again, there was a rather large looking man coming for her, he seemed more samurai than ninja as he charged her.

His initial strike disarming her as she tripping when dodging back to avoid the slash from his short sword, her kunai clattered to the floor, sliding under the table just as it was flipped over.

"Why me…" She cursed as she ducked below another strike, taking a side swipe at the man's legs, but he was very well built, meaning, her little body wasn't going to move him. But at the very least, she took up her tanto blade that was hidden in her knee-high boot.

Her eyes lit with dark flames as she bounced up, one of her feet digging into the man's stomach, one hand grabbing his shoulder, helping her to climb him. "Die!" She mouthed before digging the dagger into his shoulder and dragging it down across the base of his neck. Pushing herself away before the blood could really flow from him, she was only speckled across her lower face.

She imagined that she must have looked extremely wild, jumping on him the way she had. Rei brushed it off like dirt on her clothes. They only thing about the kill that bothered her, was that she'd gotten blood on her face. She'd feel it for weeks.

Itachi had already dropped the other two, and was coolly wiping blood from his katana as she walked past him, intent on the door.

His hand caught her shoulder. "Rei, are you wounded?" He spun her lightly, with almost no effort.

"No, sir." Rei thought about the many things 'wounded' could pertain to, and just what answer he was looking for. Deciding he meant physically.

"I see." He said, as he looked up to her blood spattered face. "Come here," He directed, sheathing his sword behind his back, flipping the white cloth, stained red on one side to the clean opposite side.

He cupped her face guiding it up and she closed her eyes, feeling foolish, like she was a child, as he wiped her face clean. The soft cloth glided along her pale skin, washing it of any crimson dots.

"Itachi…stop," She whined a bit in embarrassment. Rei wasn't a little girl, she was seventeen, where did he get off treating her like a kid? When he let go she was already out the door, only fleetingly noting that it was broken in with the weight of a dead body.

* * *

Kisame was rewrapping his Samehada when she walked out the front gate which somehow ended up open, with one huge door completely broken off the hinges.

"Have fun, Kisame-sama?" She asked darkly as she skidded by.

"Ha! What took you two so long!?" He laughed out, his beady eyes glinting in the night.

"We had more than you," Rei pointed out. Glancing at the sky, and back to the building for a split second.

"Yes, but there were two of you," Kisame grunted from his seat on the ground by the wall.

Rei stretched, in the open gateway, before doing a back flip up onto the wall, her legs brought together, her palms catching the stone as they guided her body down into a sitting position, one leg dangling as the other knee was held to her chest. "Kisame-sama is like three men. Itachi-sama and I aren't even half your size on our own," Rei didn't know why she always got that pout-y, childlike tone around Kisame, but when she did, it made her feel a little better, especially after a mission like this, with so much blood. That room, and been completely painted in red.

"Ahaha!" He seemed to get a real kick out of that last comment.

"We're leaving." Itachi's voice was suddenly behind them. He'd waltzed up in that ever silent manner of his, and now seemed to be glowering at their small light-hearted conversation.

Rei looked over her shoulder, seeing the building just beginning to smolder and burn.

Letting her legs fall to either side of the brick wall, at Itachi's 'get moving, now' look, she planted her palms between her thighs, lifting her body into the air, and pointing her legs together. Rei flipped off with a little spin, landing at Kisame's side, as Itachi followed, with an odd expression hiding just in his irises.

* * *

He noted painfully that her eyes were instantly darker after she killed the samurai man that attacked her. Her skin was cold to the touch, he tried to write that off as the night air, but something wouldn't let him.

There was a chill in the air, and it seemed for once he was grateful of the bulky cloak about him. Rei had shielded herself from the cold breeze by standing behind Kisame, which seemed to be working well for her. He was padding along just behind them, most likely the only one in the group still alert.

Kisame seemed to be moving sluggishly, Itachi thought of pushing a faster pace, but decided not to rush them. They were only a little way from the nearest village inn now, it wouldn't take much longer. He could take his own advice and be patient.

The stars shown in splotches on the sky, clouds were covering more than half of them, and the sliver of a moon in the sky was fading in and out of sight with each passing dark mass. He let his eyes wonder up for a moment, enjoying the silver glow it cast down on the small road.

There was a rustle in the line of trees just along side the path, just behind their team. His eyes left the sky. All his senses piqued, attuned to every tiny sound and movement.

* * *

Rei heard the noise, almost before Itachi. She strained, listening to their pursuer's footsteps. There was only one. But somehow they'd missed him thus far, assuming he'd followed from safe house and on that small thought, Rei lost the shinobi again.

"Itachi." She whispered in warning, as she slowed and came beside him.

Instinctively she clung to him, something was calling "danger" in her mind, and he sent out a silent and calm "safe" in her thoughts which drew her to him.

He glanced down into her slightly fearful eyes, enjoying the emotion he found there, savoring it. It wouldn't last.

Gently he gripped her enclosed fist, and pulled it from the side of his sleeve, before he pushed her forward just slightly. The next moment there was a kunai stuck in the ground, when it should have met with her flesh, Rei gasped quietly.

_I didn't even sense…_

Before she could continue that inner thought their little party crasher was entering center stage. The little light-footed pest pranced right in front of Itachi with a dagger between his fingers. Rei squinted in the darkness, hoping to make out the face of the attacker, seeing only a dark fabric, which told of the mask he wore.

Kisame had turned around and was watching with amusement, as the little man tried to take on Itachi. He leaned fully on Samehada, intent on a show, and not a fight.

The lithe Uchiha was easily dodging each strike and slash aimed for vital areas of the body. Seeming to finally grow tired of the foolish dance, he struck out with his own attack.

A bit of shock played against the shinobi, as he rose to his feet, again sailing at Itachi with a flurry of punches and kicks, apparently when he fell he let go of his weapon, or maybe Itachi knocked it from his hands. Rei hadn't seen.

Her dark eyes watched each move, tracking each kick, counting how many times it connected. It was hard enough for the fighter to follow each movement of his opponent, let alone the on looker.

Suddenly Itachi took advantage of his upper hand, catching the wrist of his opposer and drawing behind his back as he spun him. The cry of pain that escaped the man's throat was that of a woman.

_A woman? _Rei stood stock still, watching quite intently now. She supposed in her thoughts that it did explain a few things, like the smallness of the body, and the mask.

Itachi pulled away the mask. As Rei watched, a beautiful woman appeared before her in the night.

Most noticeably the woman had wavy long brunette hair that stretched just further than her shoulder. She had full rosy lips, and high cheek bones that brought out her eyes, though the color wasn't easily distinguished in the darkness.

The woman spun on him, in the same instant she drew something from the pouch at her back, it was too thin to be kunai, or shuriken, Rei guessed at a senbon.

"Why do you attack us?" Itachi inquired.

The kunoichi stopped, though Rei couldn't see why. She heard that older woman's voice come into the darkness again. "You took my brother from me back there." The Ishida girl could just imagine those full lips moving to form the words.

_I do love you…_His voice echoed to her from her memories as she watched him eyeing the woman like something he wanted, something he wanted badly. Something he craved.

"You wish to join him?" He asked beautifully in that dark voice of his.

His hand rose from Rei's view, but she guessed he was cupping her face, maybe running his thumb over her bottom lip, the way he had so very many times with her.

There was silence for an extremely long moment; all the while Rei's eyes never left Itachi's, his never leaving the woman's face. "N-no…" She eventually stuttered out.

Rei watched his eyes flash menacingly as he grinned like the devil. The woman fell from his fingers, and Rei saw now he'd indeed had his hand holding her face, but he had a kunai in his other hand, the one she'd never paid attention to.

There was a soft thud as the body hit the ground.

"You won't kill her?" Kisame called out from behind her.

Itachi stepped around the woman, as she lay trapped in his Tsukuyomi no doubt. Rei watched him with darkening eyes as he walked straight past her, meeting up with his partner. "There's no need."

Rei felt like he'd just walked away from her; in the same manner he had the woman laying cold on the ground in front of her only feet away.

In truth, she did doubt he loved her, even though he said he loved her, and did all the things he could to prove it, she held doubt in her mind. And until that morning, she hadn't seen true proof that he didn't care for her, and then again, just now, it came out. It flowed in the way he glanced the woman and her curves, the way he'd passed her like she weren't there. She even felt it in the very way he'd held her face to wipe it, like it was a chore for him to have her around, like she embarrassed him somehow.

"Rei." He called her name, but it seemed empty. Before, there would have been a warm undertone, hidden for only her to hear, it was gone now.

She turned away taking a steadying deep breath. She stayed behind Itachi and glowered at his back with nearly black eyes. _You're killing yourself this way…_ she told herself, but didn't listen just then.

* * *

They paid for a room with two bed rooms, like usual. The woman behind the counter handed back the small amount of change and Itachi tucked it away as Kisame started up the stairs to the right.

"Have a nice stay!" She called after the three of them.

Rei wasted no time once she was inside, her backpack was already falling off her shoulder, she was already digging out her night wear. The sliding door to the first room closed behind her as she kneeled on the futon, changing her shirt and pulling off her skirt in favor of shorts. She left them scrunched up as she shoveled the items back in her bag and leaned it against the wall.

Barefooted, she padded out and to the bathroom not acknowledging either male in the living area. Rei closed and locked the door as she faced the mirror. Sliding the hair tie from her wrist she brought back her hair into a long flowing tail. Stopping she realized how long it had been since she had worn the night shirt she was in now. It was a white-gray long-sleeved thing with baby blue pin stripes buttoned nearly to the neck, save for the last two.

There was a wash cloth hanging with a few towels on the wall behind her, she swiped it, using it to wash her face with warm water. Finally the feeling of blood on her face was truly gone, what Itachi had done only cleaned the surface, there was so much more underneath. She could still feel it.

After rinsing her face of soapy bubbles she washed her hands and up her wrists before running a bit of cool water through her hair on her fingers. She sighed heavily before relieving herself. Thankful for the large tub with room enough to sit on the edge, she ran warm water, plugging the drain, as she dipped one set of toes, and then the next.

The water washed over her sore feet, and filled the tub about a quarter of the way before she turned the water off.

She wound her fingers down the side of her right leg, noticing the small indention where one of the buckles had dug in a bit. Cupping her hand, she dripped the warm liquid over it, relishing the feeling.

With her dry hand she reached up and tugged the tie from her hair letting it fall loose around her.

Running her fingers through the length of it a few times she pulled out stray tangles and knots. Closing her eyes she rested her head against the wall, dropping the little red tie on the steps into the bath.

"Breath…" She soothed herself a few times, trying to stop her heart from beating a million miles an hour. Her body was tense and her mind wouldn't focus, the only thing she knew for sure was that she was tired and her heart wouldn't let up.

Slouching against the wall she continued the slow breathing until she was lost on the world.

* * *

She woke up when Itachi shifted her into his arms. Her eyes fluttered open, but remained half-lidded. Something about him just then made him look amazing as she met his sin-dark eyes.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to wake you." His velvet voice sounded low and soft, but Rei wasn't sure if that was just because she was sleepy yet or not.

Wanting to respond she tried to clear her dry throat quietly, but found she couldn't and therefore opted not to speak. Instead she just shook her head to the side a bit, and closed her eyes. The only thing she felt was the heaviness of her limbs, the tiredness of her body, as he carried her to the bedroom. Really, she could have cared less that he'd woken her, as long as she could lie back down soon.

He knelt, cradling her in his arm and on his knee as he pulled back the sheets of the futon, before gently tucking her in, underneath the wickedly soft bedding. The beautiful warmth that took her body was amazing, as was the surprisingly soft feel of the bed.

He sat, watching her, and after a while when she still felt his presence at her side she flicked her eyes open looking hard to see him in the dark room and haze of sleep just beyond that darkness. She saw then, he was topless, having loose fitting sweats on, and only those. His usual pony tail was draped over his shoulder, falling in a gentle caress against his skin.

_How can I not love _you_? How did it jus…t disappear…how did I let it?_ Rei probed her own thoughts with biting questions.

Somehow, she'd realized subconsciously that, it wasn't that she didn't believe he didn't love her, but that she no longer loved him, not the way she had. Rei shut her eyes for the last time that night .Her absolute need to be at his side…was gone.

_I'm sorry…

* * *

_

Rei looked numbly at the bag on her bed. There was only one set of clothes in it, and she didn't know what else to take with her now. Was there really anything she needed?

She didn't care if there was anymore; she grabbed the thick strap on the bag and gripped it tightly.

She was leaving. She had to leave. Being here was killing her.

The doorknob turned under her palm, and just as she was brushing through the threshold she reached out and took a worn, old, book from the table and laid it in the bag before the door could shut on her wrist.

Her eyes looked dull, and listless, she hadn't seen her own eyes in such away since…since she lost her mother.

Though she couldn't remember how the pain felt, she remembered that she had been in pain. Rei thought that maybe she was in pain now, somewhere deep down, even if she couldn't feel it.

The hall was cold, her skin felt it, but not her mind, her mind was already frozen over, an apathetic waste land for dying thoughts.

Rei stopped outside Itachi's door and leaned heavy on the frame. He'd left it open tonight, which made it easier for her. She didn't have to worry about waking him. She knew she wouldn't be able to leave, if he asked her to stay, or if he told her to.

Her dark eyes peered into the room, seeing his sleeping form under the covers rise and fall. She'd made sure to wait for him to fall asleep.

She whispered, "I'm leaving,"

Whatever it was that brought her here, she didn't regret it. Rei was happy she'd met Itachi, happy she had a good life with him, and if this was where that life had to end, she was alright with that, too.

She was seventeen now, there was still a great deal of time for her to start over, make a new life for herself. Rei just needed to find the courage to do it, to leave her life, to go find something better, fate willing.

Rei closed her eyes tight, thanking god for it all. Biting her lip she pushed off the doorframe, turned and walked down the dark hall, her hair swaying back and forth behind her as she went. The candles had died, the walls were tinted a dark maroon color, where she could see them, and only blackness lay in front of her.

Rei walked out the door, carrying only a small pack holding a book sitting atop one set of clothes and told herself…

_I'm leaving. _

"_I know."_ Rei could imagine him saying in reply.

**Ever Numb End:

* * *

**A/N: Alright thanks again for reading! Make sure to check out Ever Tense the sequel to Ever Numb^.~

AngelFire Rei~


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